Amend CSHB 500 on third reading as follows:

(1)  Immediately following SECTION 3.19 of the bill (page 15, between lines 55 and 56), insert the following:

SECTION 3.20.  TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY: DEMONSTRATION REACTOR AND WATER DESALINATION. (a) The amount of $120,000,000 is appropriated from the general revenue fund to Texas Tech University for the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act to support:

(1)  the design, construction permitting, operation licensing, and construction of an advanced nuclear reactor; and

(2)  research relating to water desalination in the Permian Basin in cooperation with the Texas Produced Water Consortium.

(b)  The legislature finds that there is a demonstrated need for the appropriation of general revenue funds for the purposes described by Subsection (a)(1) of this section. The appropriation made by this section is contingent on approval by two-thirds of each chamber of the legislature, as required under Section 17(j), Article VII, Texas Constitution.

(2)  In SECTION 13.01(c) of the bill, adding an effective date (page 44, line 25), between "3.18," and "9.19", insert "3.20,".

(3)  Add the following appropriately numbered SECTION to Article 1 of the bill and renumber subsequent SECTIONS of that article and references to those SECTIONS accordingly:

SECTION 1.__.  TRUSTEED PROGRAMS WITHIN THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR: CONTINGENT APPROPRIATION. Contingent on the enactment of H.B. 2217 or similar legislation of the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, relating to establishing a grant program to equip motor vehicles used by peace officers with certain bullet-resistant components, the amount of $5,000,000 is appropriated from the general revenue fund to the Trusteed Programs within the Office of the Governor for the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act to be used for purposes consistent with that legislation.

(4)  Add the following appropriately numbered SECTIONS to Article 3 of the bill and renumber subsequent SECTIONS and references to those SECTIONS accordingly:

SECTION 3.__.  WEST TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY: BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE INITIATIVE. The amount of $4,000,000 is appropriated from the general revenue fund to West Texas A&M University for the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act to support a behavioral health workforce initiative to increase the supply and quantity of a behavioral health workforce in the Texas Panhandle.

SECTION 3.__.  UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL BRANCH GALVESTON: AGING AND TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE (AGE-TECH). The amount of $5,000,000 is appropriated from the general revenue fund to The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston for the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act to support the creation of the Aging and Technology Initiative to provide artificial intelligence-powered and robotic solutions to help maintain the independence of aging Texans in their homes.

SECTION 3.__.  TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY - CENTRAL TEXAS: MILITARY TALENT PIPELINE. The amount of $2,000,000 is appropriated from the general revenue fund to Texas A&M University - Central Texas for the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act to establish a new Military Transition Program to support veterans transitioning from active duty to the civilian workforce through development of coursework and training in semiconductor technology, cybersecurity, data analytics, and STEM education and accelerated career paths for veterans.

(5)  Add the following appropriately numbered SECTION to Article 6 of the bill and renumber subsequent SECTIONS of that article accordingly:

SECTION 6.__.  PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT: AQUARIUM GRANT. The amount of $2,000,000 is appropriated from the general revenue fund to the Parks and Wildlife Department for the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act to provide a grant to the Texas State Aquarium Wildlife Rescue Center.